pin4 man4駢文骈文
Jyutpingpin4 man4
Yalepìhn màhn
Definition
Pianwen; a parallel prose style in classical Chinese characterized by ornate language and frequent allusions.
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How it's used
Focusing heavily on aesthetic symmetry, this style prioritizes rhythmic balance over direct communication. It is almost exclusively encountered in academic or literary studies of classical Chinese texts rather than in modern speech. The term highlights the structural requirement of pairing phrases, which creates a musical cadence when read aloud.
Measure word
pin1篇pīnExamples
This piece of parallel prose is written very neatly.
Do you know how to appreciate parallel prose?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with general classical Chinese, but it specifically refers to a highly stylized, rigid form rather than any prose written in the classical language.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
